Fear the Future? Don’t.

Filed under:Management & More — posted on November 2, 2008 @ 12:18 pm

In one sense there are three parts of our lives. Past, present and future. How each of these is viewed has huge consequences.

The past:If one looks back at the past for anything other than experience, the past can paralyze today. Many times our memories of events, and results from those events will seem relevant to a situation we might be facing today when in reality today’s situation is totally different. If we treat the current event like the remembered event, we probably have not addressed it correctly. Each problem, challenge, and situation today requires a fresh new outlook and solution. To be sure, we can use look at past experience for suggestions, but today’s solution will always be different.

The future:The future is not real. One of the biggest blocks to living a full life is to spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about the future. Many people fear an unknown future which makes it impossible to live today. This is especially true for those in business for themselves. When one is beginning a business, with no revenue, no customers and startup costs depleting financial reserves, fear of the future can be overwhelming. In fact, this fear can easily incapacitate one to the point that nothing at all gets done due to the ‘what if’ scenarios developing from visions of a horrible failure sure to come.

What if - I fail?

What if - no customers show up?

What if - I run out of money?

What if?

The cure for fear of the future is to keep reminding one’s Self to live in the present moment as much as possible. To fully focus on what is happening right now is challenging. When bank accounts are shrinking, customers and clients are slow to arrive, and the gut reaction is to extrapolate the current conditions into the future, fear has an opening and will take full advantage!

In the time it takes to think through the process and create this fabricated future, fear steps into a life and plays havoc. The truly sad part is many will create that fabricated future because they already believe it. They will unconsciously make choices to bring that future to reality.

The present:The present is a daily, minute by minute gift to us from the Universe. The present needs to be appreciated, caressed and cared for.

It is possible to break this vicious cycle of fear based on unreal projections of things that might happen..

  1. Understand the process. Be aware when it is happening to you.

  2. Create the future you want in your mind. (Visualization)

  3. Make a plan to achieve your future. What would you have to do in order to make it reality?

  4. Work your plan.

  5. Measure your progress and adapt your plan.

  6. Have faith in your Self and the Universal laws that will come to your aid.

  7. Stay in the present moment.

Being present is a learning process. Simply being is the first step in that process. To Be who you are comfortable being, and to Do what you love to do provides a very good foundation for the strength required to eliminate the fear of the future and to have faith in the present.

Your Coach and online friend,

Miami

Helping others find their path - and stay on it. www.creativemasterminds.com

Quotation of the Week

Learn from the past, plan for the future, and live in the present.

Duane Alan Hahn

About The Author

Miami Phillips is an ANSIR Certified Personal Coach and the founder of Creative MasterMinds who believes personal growth is an essential ingredient to being happy and contributing to this world. While his main focus is affordable personal and business coaching, he also offers motivational teleclasses, ebooks, reading recommendations and much more. To find out more visit his site at http://www.creativemasterminds.com or send him an email at coach@creativemasterminds.com

How To Rise Above The Clutter In Your Brain

Filed under:Management & More — posted on @ 3:06 am

Ever notice when you start a new hobby or fall in love with a new shrub or flower you start to see it everywhere? This isn’t necessarily because everyone else has the same new hobby it’s because you have the flower or shrub or hobby at the top of your mind.

You are focused on it, thinking about how much you enjoy it and you end up noticing it when you never did before. It’s not merely a coincidence it’s your Reticular Activating System located at the junction of the base of the brain and the spinal cord that is responsible for stimulating this top of the mind response.

Every minute our body receives thousands of stimuli; sounds, smells, sensations, tastes, and changes in environment. All these stimuli are filtered through the Reticular Activating System and the most important ones are passed onto the largest portion of our brain, the cerebrum; the central portion, which is responsible for cognition and then, translated into thoughts and emotions.

Understanding how this system functions allows us to better filter the distractions in our world. You can focus on the work or play at hand and only process the things that are most important to you at the moment. It’s a great way to filter out all the distracting thoughts while you are fishing or gardening. Or to come up with the best ideas for the new brochure you’ve been working on.

Use the Reticular Activating System to help you reach your goals or solve a problem. Keep it on the top of your mind by thinking about it, writing about it, even doing affirmations. Talking about the things you want to achieve as if you already have achieved them.

Another good tool is to create and image book. Clip pictures that reflect the idea or desired outcome and keep adding to the book. Look it over every day and keep your goals foremost in your mind. You can use the same system to keep you from being overwhelmed. Don’t look at everything that needs to be done. Pick out three of the most important things and break each one down into two or three steps and work in a methodical fashion to complete each step. Then list the next three things that need to be taken care of and continue to focus on the most important things first.

Do some spring-cleaning of the clutter in your brain and make your year more productive. Write down the five most important goals you would like to achieve in the next 6- 9 months. Then list three or four steps under each that will let you reach each goal.

Put the paper some place clearly visible so you will look at it several times a day. By keeping it on top of your mind your Reticular Activating System will help increase your focus, creativity, and resolve to reach your goals this year.

EzineArticles Expert Author BZ Riger-Hull

About The Author

©BZ Riger-Hull. Author of The Soul of Success http://www.in-spiros.com For valuable free articles, mailto:A1@smartautoresponder.com Certified as a Success Coach, “Four Agreements” Facilitator, & Tele-Course leader We help you communicate powerfully, reduce stress, Strategically Attract success, & increase your financial well-being. Our coaching programs and Tele-Courses give you the Tools you need to Succeed.

bz@in-spiros.com